The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Justice have reached a proposed settlement with the Municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. This agreement addresses Clean Water Act violations related to Ponce's storm sewer systems and stormwater management program. The settlement was filed as a proposed Consent Decree in the U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico.
EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia commented on the situation: "La Playa de Ponce has historically been overburdened by pollution. The Municipality of Ponce is taking the necessary steps to correct a long-standing problem and resolve it in a way that will result in less pollution going into local waters and will protect the environment and public health."
As part of this settlement, Ponce will invest around $85 million over six and a half years to improve its stormwater system, including upgrades at five flood control pump stations located in La Playa, Puerto Viejo, Villa Pesquera, Padre Noel, and Los Meros. The municipality is also required to pay $25,000 in civil penalties.
The proposed Consent Decree mandates several actions from Ponce:
- Update storm sewer maps to identify discharge structures.
- Complete an inventory of outfalls and interconnections.
- Maintain a registry for complaints about illicit discharges.
- Develop procedures for screening outfalls during different weather conditions.
- Install warning signs at specific outfalls in La Playa.
- Conduct studies on hydrology and hydraulics related to certain flood-control areas.
- Submit remediation plans for EPA review.
The Consent Decree will be open for public comment for 30 days. Details will be published in the Federal Register. The EPA and the Department of Justice encourage community members and stakeholders to provide their input during this period.
